Beverly City Council approves public-safety grants, home-rule petition and harbor boat match; sets Feb. 3 budget hearings

The Beverly City Council on Tuesday approved two grants to support 911 services and training, authorized a one-time transfer of $58,212 from free cash to cover half the city’s matching share for a new harbor patrol cabin boat, approved a home-rule petition to consolidate polling locations for an upcoming special election and set public hearings for two budget transfers related to recently settled labor contracts.

The actions matter for public safety and election administration: the grants fund enhanced 911 dispatch services and training for Beverly Police Department personnel, the harbor transfer completes a required local match for a federal or state vessel grant, and the home-rule petition would allow the city to locate all special-election polling at a single site pending state approval.

Councilors voted to accept two grants announced by the clerk’s office: an Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) grant described in the meeting record as $1,163,964 to support enhanced 911 dispatch services and a $137,759.54 EOPSS training grant for 911 department courses and overtime coverage. Both grant acceptances were referred to the Committee on Finance and Property and approved by the full council. The council also accepted a $100 donation to the Silent Witness program…